Process and apparatus for pulverizing material



Sept. 8, 1931. M. D.- JoNEs PROCESS MD APPARATUS FOR PULVERIZING MATERIAL I W Filed 001;. 17, 1927 M INVENTOR;

J 4 Qqrrogezxusnm.

Patented Sept 8,1931

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE MICHAEL D. JONES, OFIALLENTOWN, IENNSYLVANIA, assmnon TO FULLER Lenten coMrANY, or FULLERTON, rENnsYLvANIA, A CORPORATION or DELAWABE' PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PULVERIZING MATERIAL Application filed October 17, 1927. Serial No. 226,543.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for pulverizing material insuch a manner that the material is obtained in a dry pulverulent state and the grinder is prevented from clogging or becoming stopped up. The invention is 1 applicablev to the grinding of various sorts of ma erial. but is especially suitable for rinding coalthat may be in the moist or damp state-so as to produce powdered fuel.

Ithas been found heretofore that in pulverizing or grinding materials that contain excessive amounis of moisture, that the moisture interferes with the proper pulverization of the material or retards the pulverization because the dampmaterial coats the surfaces of the grinding elements and does not permit proper functioning of the various parts. fT he amount of heat generated by the process of pulverization is not suflicient to furnish enough heat for drying the material especially if a considerable amount of moisture is present.

By the present invention, difiiculties here-' tofore encountered in grinding or pulverizmg processes and apparatus are overcome and the pulverization is suitably accom-- plished by using grinders or pulverizers of,

vent explosions from accidentally taking different t es.

description in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which a diagrammatic arrangement of apparatus is indicated for carrying out the invention. In the drawing reference character 1 indicates a storage bin or receptacle for coal or other material that is to bev ground; A conduit 2 leads from the bin 1 to the grinder 3 that may be one of the well known types. A'heater 4 may be interposed between the bin and the grinder to cause a preliminary heaing of'the material that is to be round, and the grinder may also be heated yv means of the heater 5, which may be heated from any convenient source of lieat6, that isdiagrammatically illustrated. I

Air is forced into the grinder and servesto lift the fine particles in the well known manner, and the dust-laden air passes The invention will be understood from the through the outlet 7 to a separator 8 that may,

be of the cyclone type or of the well known sort that is suitable for separating gaseous and solid particles from each other. The separator 8 is providedwith means for heating the same, which may be, for example, a heating coil 9 or the separator may be heated in any other convenient manner. The lower portion 10 of the separator is shown as being funnel-shaped and'an outlet 11 therefrom may lead to a furnace or storage receptacle. An outlet 12 extends from the upper por tion of the separator 8 to the grinder 3, and is provided with a vent 13 to permit aportion of the gaseous fluid to escape so that the concentration of moisture in the gaseous fluid will not become too great. A fan 14 is provided for forcing the circulation of theair or gaseous fluid throughthe grinder and separator back to the grinder, and fresh air or other gaseous fluid may be admitted at any convenient point in the cyclone separator to replace that which is vented out through the same time the air is permitted to remain suf-i ficiently concentrated with moisture to preplace. The heater 4 between the storage bin and the grinder, as well as the heater 5 for the grinder itself, may both be dispensed with when there is not too much moisture in the materialto be ground, since the heat generated by the grinding operation together with the heat applied in the separator 8 will be sufficient to produce thoroughly dried material that is collected in the separator,

I claim: o

1. The process of pulverizing materials which comprises grinding the material while passing a gaseous fluid through the grinding zone to remove fine. particles and thence through a separating zone where the fine particles and gaseous fluid are separated, said separating zone being maintained at .an elely of the material passing therethrough.

:2. The process of pulverizing material which comprises grinding the material while .vatecl temperature by heating it independentpassing a gaseous fluid through the grinding zone to remove fine particles, thence through a separating zone where the fine particles and gaseous fluid are separated, said separating zone being maintained at an elevated temperature by heating it independently of the material passing therethrough, and returning terial passing therethrough, returning gaseous fluid from the separator to the grinding zone, and venting a portion of it to the atmosphere.

4. The process of pulverizing material which comprises forcing air through the grinding zone and thence through a separating zone Where the air is separated from. the solid particles, said separating zone being maintained at an elevated temperature by heating it independently of the material passing therethrough.

5. The process of. pulverizing material which comprises forcing air through the grinding zone, thence through a separating zone wherethe air is separated from the solid particles, said separating zone being maintained at an elevated temperature by heating it independently of the material passing therethrough, and returning a portion of the air to the grinding zone.

6. In an apparatus for pulverizing material, a grinder, means for passinga gaseous fluid through said grinder to remove the fine particles, a separator through which the dust laden fluid passes, and means for heating the isiepllrator independently of said gaseous u1 7. In an apparatus for pulverizing material, a grinder, means for passing a gaseous fluid through said grinder to remove the fine particles, a separator through which the dust laden fluid passes, means for heating the separator independently of said gaseous fluid, and means for returning a portion of the gaseous fluid from said separator to said grinder.

8. In an apparatus for pulverizing material, a grinder, means for passing a gaseous fluid through said grinder to remove the fine particles, a separator through which the dust laden fluid passes, means for heating the separator independently of said gaseous fluid and means for returning a portion of the gaseous fluid from said separator to said grinder, and for venting another portion thereof to the atmosphere.

9. In an apparatus for pulverizing mate rial, a grinder, means for passing a gaseous MICHAEL D. JONES. 

